The Call: Responding to the Call

By Dr. Milicent J. Coburn

I am amazed and fascinated by the variety of calls that each person experiences and makes during his or her lifetime. We are all bombarded by calls, yet I realize that we cannot exist without them. This books chronology of the variety of calls speaks to one specific callthe call to salvation. Many from different lifestyles, social status, and points of view responded to this call and experienced a rewarding and complete life in service to God. The path to this enriched life was not easy for the many that chose to accept the call. Persecution, imprisonment, beatings, and other atrocities are documented and outlined between the covers of this book. Yet irrespective of the obstacles, perseverance and victory won the day. From a biblical perspective, God began the call in the book of Genesis. Through his divine foreknowledge, he knew what mans response would be, yet he still made the call. The accounts of the many trailblazers described in this book have left their footprints in the sands of time as a testimony that decisions made have eternal consequences. The author hopes that close examination of the lives lived will be a source of encouragement to respond positively to the call.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trafford Publishing
• Release date: Feb 17, 2014
• ISBN: 9781490718439

Dr. Milicent J. Coburn

Dr. Milicent J. Coburn was born in Pleasant View, St. Andrew, Jamaica, West Indies. She is an accomplished writer. Her first book, THE CALL, marked the beginning of a journey that has long been a dream of hers. In this her second release, Treasures of the Tropics, Dr. Coburn demonstrates her willingness to return to her roots and mine the treasures of yester year and present them with nostalgia, yet with present day appeal. This body of work keeps alive the wonderful treasure of our tropical fruits that are known since childhood. It is Dr. Coburns passion to ensure that the next generation continue the tradition of constantly mining the ready treasure of the variety of fruits that may only be found in the tropics. Dr. Coburn received her Doctorate credential in Christian Education at Biblical Life College and Seminary. She continues her teaching career at a Bridgeport Public School in Connecticut and also volunteers in the Shelter Ministry at her home church, Refuge Temple Church of God, Connecticut, USA.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Acknowledgement

Dedication

About The Author

About The Editor

Introduction

Foreword

Chapter 1: The Personal Call

Reaction To Parent’s Call

Reward Or Punishment

Result Of Positive Response

Result Of Negative Response

Babies Call And Parents Identify The Call

The Immediacy Of The Call

Chapter 2: The Social Call

Visitation

Friendly Telephone Call

Courting Call

Bird Call/Imitating The Bird’s Call

Chapter 3: The Professional Call

The Urgency Of The 911 Call

The Demand Of The Army Call

Jury Call And Its Execution

The Job Interview And The Result

The Importance Of Roll Call For Attendance And Accountability

Chapter 4: The Secret Call

David Spangler’s Call

The Help Call

My Call

Chapter 5: The Urgency Of God’s Call To

Adam

Abraham

Moses

Joshua

Samuel

Jonah

Jeremiah

Chapter 6: Jesus Calls And Continues To Call

The Disciples

Zacchaeus

Lazarus

Calling From The Cross

Saul

Sarah Young’s Account

Chapter 7: The Spiritual Call

Isaiah

Jeremiah

Hosea

Amos

Zephaniah

John The Baptist

Knowing God And Going Forward With Him

Responding To God

Called To Worship

Chapter 8: Understanding Your Call

William And Catherine Booth

Sojourner Truth

George Muller

Gladys Aylward

Harriett Tubman

Chapter 9: Called To Serve

Clifton R. Clarke

Steve Saint

Called To Show Mercy

The Fulfillment Of Faithfulness

Bibliography

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I want to thank the many who supported and strengthened me along my journey. Your prayers and well wishes are deeply appreciated.

DEDICATION

Dedicated

To the memory of my late parents Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Coburn,

for their unconditional love and excellent parenting. I will always cherish the wonderful memories.

To

Bishop Courtney H. Williams, Sr.

First Lady Merna Elaine Williams

Mrs. Aleece Angus

and

Reverend Pleasant McGowan

Who were of tremendous assistance to me in assembling the material for this book.

To

My former administrator Mrs. Edna Somers and her assistant Mrs. Daphne Mason.

Also To

Rev. Cynthia Salmon       Doteriez Edwards

Lilleth Campbell              Carmen Cohen

Thelma Greig                   Ruth McEnnis

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

D r. Milicent J. Coburn was born in Pleasant View, St. Andrew, Jamaica, West Indies. She is the daughter of the late Joseph and Vera Coburn, and the eleventh of twelve children. She is the mother of two a dults.

Dr. Coburn attended elementary school and St. Joseph Teachers’ College in Jamaica. She was an elementary school teacher in Jamaica for many years, prior to migrating to the United States of America. She relocated from New York to Connecticut, where she currently resides. Dr. Coburn worked in various areas of employment, including Nurses’ Aide, Home Health Aide and Early Childhood Education. She had a vision of becoming a Child Psychologist but someone dissuaded her. She did the prerequisite for nursing school, but returned to the passion of her life-teaching.

In order to fulfill her vision of becoming a public school teacher, she was vigilant about attending schools of higher learning. She attended the Housatonic Community College and graduated with a Certificate and an Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education. She studied at the University of Bridgeport, where she received a Bachelor’s Degree; Southern Connecticut State University where she received a Master’s Degree. She did a second Master’s Degree and a Doctorate in Christian Education, at Biblical Life College and Seminary.

Currently she is a kindergarten teacher at a Bridgeport Public School. Dr. Coburn attends Refuge Temple Church of God in Bridgeport, Connecticut, where she is a very active member. She teaches Sunday school, serves on the Mothers’ Board, and is a volunteer of the Shelter Ministry, where she assists in preparing meals for the homeless.

ABOUT THE EDITOR

J ean Murray is a born again Christian and was a property manager for many years.

Jean enjoys writing and has successfully edited published works. She is currently working on her first book of poetry.

As an editor, Jean has the ability to weave the author’s hidden spark into the flow of the work; thereby capturing the reader’s interest from start to finish. Due to her keen sense of attention to details, Jean ensures that the sequence of events move the content along. This is her hallmark approach to editing. As a poet and songwriter, Jean brings freshness and perspective to editing in a unique manner.

Jean resides in Connecticut, USA with her husband Paul.

INTRODUCTION

I am amazed and fascinated by the variety of calls that each person experiences and makes during his or her lifetime. We are all bombarded by calls, and yet I realize that we cannot exist without them. The Webster Dictionary gives many meanings to the word call, but I p refer:

¹. announce or proclaim; attract the attention of; rouse from sleep; and to bid, as by divine command.

Some calls can be urgent, and then there are those that have to be placed on hold. Some calls are detrimental, while there are others that are frivolous and intrusive.

Yes, there are calls, but I think the most important of them all is the call from God that may mean life or death. It needs special attention. People respond to calls in numerous ways . . . .

         Aay, long time since nuh hear your voice

Before we talk let’s pray

         Don’t call back this number

Hello

Hi mom

How did you get my number?

         I am not home

I am not ready, Lord

         I can’t speak Lord

I’ll pray for you first

         I was thinking about you

I will report you to the governor

         It is you again

Leave a message and I’ll call you

         Lord, I am not worthy

Lord if you . . . .

         Lord I’m but a child

Lord I’m too young

         Lord, I will . . . .

No more money

         Not home

Not now, Lord

         Please hold

Remember that Jesus loves you

         Same number you just called, he/she

         is not here

Sorry, this is it

         Thank you for calling

Try this number

         We are not home; leave a message and

         we will call you back

When I get married, Lord

         Who are You Lord?

Why are you calling me now?

         You are going to live long

You have the wrong number

         You know

From a biblical point of view, God began the Call way back in the book of Genesis. He did not require an answer, because he knew what the response would be. God requires man to be honest. He is so loving and compassionate that He did not leave man isolated. God created Adam and at the designated time of the day when it was cool and relaxing, He would go and visit with Adam. God was such a good father and a special friend to Adam that he would not allow Adam to seek him, but instead He visited Adam. One day when God made his regular visit, Adam was nowhere to be found. God then initiated His first call to the man:

Adam where are you?

      Genesis 3:9 (NLT)

God has made many other calls to man since his first call. He calls the rich and the poor, the young and the old, the renown and the unnoticed. God called in the olden days and continues to call.

God calls in mysterious ways, for example, Hagar received an amazing call for one main reason, she was a woman and that was unusual. The angel visited her and ministered to her in a unique manner. It reminds me that God calls whomever he wishes regardless of one’s status. He meets everyone at his or her lowest ebb. God calls men as well as women because he called a disrespectful, insubordinate maid. He called her to supply her needs and to inform her of the future of her son.

God called unto Moses out of the midst of a burning bush and Moses responded. Samuel was called and he did not realize that God was calling him until Eli the Priest explained that it was God who was calling him.

The calls continue to bombard us daily and we make excuses or we may respond positively. We may meet the needs of others at the moment or we may delay doing so. We sometimes postpone our response and in the end we forget to do so, and lose out on a blessing, that we regret for the duration of our life. Calls can be pleasant, interesting, burdensome, kind, caring, loving, intrusive, painful and informative. No matter the form in which the calls come, they cannot be prevented and for our entire life we will receive calls and make calls.

FOREWORD

T his book is very interesting and informative on a wide spectrum of issues. It takes us back to the very beginning of mankind, down through the annals of time to the present time.

The book is aptly titled The Call, as it emphasizes the importance of and the various types of Calls. From the first man Adam being called after the fall, down to and including the single most important call of our life, that of course is the need for us to answer affirmatively to our Savior’s call. Both the individual who is very adept with the scriptures and the person who is trying to find his or her way, will be enlightened and fulfilled by the contents of this book. Dr. Coburn gives us suggestions for a purpose-driven life without dictating to us, thereby allowing us as Christ has allowed us, to make and follow our own conviction.

In my role as a financial planner, I am privileged to travel and meet hundreds of individuals every year, to help formulate, review and implement financial strategies. The spiritual principles and examples given throughout this book, will undoubtedly assist me in my practice as I pursue prayerfully, never forgetting God in my daily life and not only searching for Him in times of crises. Let me hasten to say that these spiritual principles and practices are universally applicable regardless of one’s vocation. Therefore, if due care is given in searching the wisdom contained in this book, it will positively impact your life and general affairs.

I thought that I had a good collection of stories, Bible stories and others, but Dr. Coburn uncovered far more than I thought possible. She also reminded me of events that I had long forgotten. Her wonderful collection of stories do far more than just making the book interesting. They give me a better understanding of our storied past and a greater appreciation of the struggles our spiritual forefathers endured in paving the way for the freedom we enjoy today. In addition, this book redirects our focus back to our Creator and reminds us of our duty to faithfully serve Him.

Congratulation, Dr. Milicent Coburn, on hitting the right combination of spiritual principles, historical events and storytelling. Although simply stated, the book is inspiringly powerful.

Norman S. Leslie, ChFC, CASL, LUTCF

CHAPTER ONE

THE PERSONAL CALL

Reaction to parent’s call

A call is unique because it can be verbal or nonverbal. A nonverbal call is understood by the person to whom it is dir ected.

Reward or Punishment

Result of Positive Response

Parents have devised ways to call their children, verbally and non-verbally. A child who responds to the parents’ call in a positive manner will be rewarded with positive reward. Some parents train their children through nonverbal communication, by the look of their eyes or by the direction of a finger, and in each case the well-trained child will respond. These children constantly look at their parents for the next instruction, and although others who are in close proximity do not hear words, the child interprets the message and responds.

Result of Negative Response

Children who do not respond in a positive manner when the parents call, will be punished. The punishment can be physical, verbal, or valued time or object may be withheld or taken away permanently. Children who want to avoid punishment try to respond in the proper manner.

Babies Call and Parents Identify the Call

Babies are very perceptive although they are young; they are able to identify their mothers from a group of people. They will call by crying, by looking around while making little sounds, or even by reaching out their little arms and kicking their legs. The crying of a baby has meaning to a very caring mother. She knows if that cry means that the baby is hungry, wet, soiled, sick or just needs some attention.

A mother will sometimes look at her baby and walk away because she knows that the child is just crying for attention. She is sometimes wrong because her conclusion may not be so, the baby may be ill and she does not detect that illness.

The Immediacy of the Call

Parents especially mothers, know their babies so well that they know how urgent the call is. Yes there are parents who withhold love and affection from their children, but there are others who respond as their babies cry. Some babies just want to be held, so when the parents pick them up, and cuddle them, they feel happy, and relaxed. Babies cry and they say to the parents, I need you now. Leave everything and come to me. They need their call to be answered and without delay. The babies are so self-centered but they do not know it, for they have no name for their action. Some of these babies develop to be selfish young people because of the attention that they received by their crying, they now use it to manipulate their parents.

CHAPTER TWO

THE SOCIAL CALL

Visitation

P eople sometimes drop by the homes of friends and relatives without warning, and or notice. They just arrive at the destination that they choose, and the visits can be from a few minutes to days, a year or more. It is strange to have someone visiting, who carries a number of pieces of luggage. Some of these visitors will use a statement as I was in the area, so I am just droppin g by.

A short visit can sometimes be as burdensome as a long one, and it all depends on the person who is visiting. A troublemaker’s short visit may cause the one visited to tell a lie, or make an excuse about having an errand to run. I heard of a story about a woman who was doing her laundry by hand when an undesirable visitor showed up. She did not want to have a conversation, so she filled her mouth with some of the dirty laundry water. She was preventing herself from participating in a conversation with someone who could not be trusted or is a slanderer.

Neighbors in rural areas of some countries call upon each other in a different manner. Some ladies would ‘drop by’ or send a child to the neighbor who lives a far distance away to borrow some sugar or other food items. The sugar may be measured in a mug (cup), so the repayment of the loan would be precise. Many city folks are not aware of this practice because they reside very close to the supermarkets, but the country folks sometimes live half-a-mile from the shops. Neighbors are not embarrassed to borrow food items. They live very far from each other, unlike the people of the suburbs, and in the large cities, they depend upon each other.

Friendly Telephone Call

How pleasant it is to pick up the receiver and listen to a cheerful voice on the other end of the line informing you that he or she was just thinking about you. The caller may say that you just came into his or her thought and he or she makes the call. It may be that they got an urge to call you or God laid you upon their mind so they make the call.

The call may come at a time when you are experiencing some difficult circumstances. I remember times when I needed to hear from another individual because I felt alone, and God allowed someone from another state or another country to call me. Friendly calls can be very informative. We may be missing out on an announcement when someone calls to keep us informed. We sometimes receive invitations by telephone calls, and these may include summons to the movies, a shopping trip, a luncheon, to dinner, to attend church services, to go for a walk, or to meet someone you have never met. A friendly telephone call is like a glass of cold water that a thirsty person receives. We are happy to receive calls that are not overbearing or calls that cause us to regret that we answered the telephone. Modern technology has afforded us the privilege of filtering our calls. We have telephones that announce the telephone number of the incoming call and that enable us to refrain from accepting that particular call. We also have caller identification and other equipment that identify the origin of the call.

Courting Call

One day I visited a farm and observed a buck trying to get the attention of a doe, so he was prancing and spitting and was really acting crazily just to woo the female. We were warned by one of the keepers that we should not interrupt him, so we just watched as he performed in pain. I cannot say how successful he was because I left the area before he got a reply from the female.

Some of our men court in the same manner as the buck, with one exception, they do not spit. They will follow a female around and in some cases they actually stalk her just to have a relationship. Women are no different from men in these